Railway-track structure.



WALTER CARL HUEBNER, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-TRACK STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Application filed February 13, 1914. Serial No. 818,545.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER C. HUEBNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at J ohnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Track Structures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of railway tracks and more particularly to the construction of crossovers, frogs, and like. structures forming part of street railwa tracks.

no object of my invention is to provide a crossover or frog construction having a hard center plate formed of manganesesteel and having novel means whereby the center plate is secured in position in the crossover.

Another object of my invention is to provide a crossover construction having a hard center-plate and having improved means whereby the removal of the center plate is readily accomplished, the difliculties heretofore experienced in making repairs or renewals are avoided and overcome and the time required in removing and replacing the center plates is materially lessened.

Still further objects will become apparent as the novel features of my invention are more fully pointed out hereinafter in the specification and appended claims.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan showing a center plate secured in place on the crossover of a railway track structure in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2, is a sectional elevation, the section being taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the hardened center plate shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation showing the fastening means forming part of my invention as applied in securing the center plates in place, the section being taken on. the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 2 designates one and 3 another track rail of a crossover forming part of a railway track structure. The abutting ends of the track rails are secured together by means of a casting 4 which as shown is formed by being cast around the rail ends.

A recess or depression 5 is provided on the upper face of the heads of the rails 2 and 3 and the surrounding casting 4 and extending along two of the marginal side edges at the bottom of the depression or re ccss, is a groove 6 of greater depth than the central portion of such recess. Projecting upwardly within the recess at each end thereof is a tongue 7 and in each of these tongues is a transversely extending hole or opening 8 which as shown is rectangular in cross section. Positioned within the recess in the upper face of the crossover is a hard plate 9 formed of manganese-steel and of a width substantially the same as that of the recess 5 soas to prevent any play sidewise of the center or hard plate within the recess. The length of this center plate 9 is somewhat lcss than that of the recess 5 in the crossover so that when the center plate is positioned within the recess, a marginal recess or slot is formed at each end of the plate. Extending inwardly from the mar ginal edge of each end of the hard plate is a slot 10 located in the ends of the late so as to embrace the tongues 7 which are formed integrally within the recess 5 as has been described. The hard plate or center plate 9 and the marginal ribs 11 formed on its under surface at the ends thereof are of such thickness as to provide a space between the bottom of the recess and under surfaces of the hard plate when the upper surface of the center plate is in position in the plane of the upper surface of the heads of the adj oining rails 2 and 3.

Each end of the center plate 9 is provided with a projection of less thickness than the thickness of the center plate, along the lower surface thereof so as to form lips or lugs 13, 13 which engage with the taper keys 14 by which the center plate 9 is fastened and held in place in the recess.

Positioned within the slot which is formed in each end of the recess 5 between the ends of the hard plate or center and the adjacent end of the recess 5 are keepers 15, 15 which are placed in position at each end of the keys 14 and which, when in operative position, extend through the transverse openings in the tongues and engage with the lips or lugs 13 on each end of the center plate 9. The keepers 15 have tapering sides and are made of such length that when in position they will fill the slot to such extent as to prevent the taper keys from backing out of the holes 8 in the tongues 7 and in that way avoid the possibility of the center plate becoming loose in the trackstructure when in service. The keepers 15 have undercut grooves 16, 16, in opposite sides of the upper surfaces thereof, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3, so as to engage with the spelter used in fastening the center plate in place and assist in holding the spelter in the recess.

The upper surface of the manganese-steel center plate 9 is provided with oppositely extending grooves 17, 18, which are arranged to register with the grooves 19 and 20 in the upper surfaces of the heads of the rails forming the crossover.

After the center plate 9 is correctly positioned within the recess 5, the keys 14 are inserted in place and driven home to engage and tightly hold the center plate in place. The keepers 15 are then placed in position so as to prevent the keys 14 from, moving within the slots in which they are located. Molten spelter 21 is then poured in the recess 5 so as to entirely fill the spaces between the center plate and adjacent surfaces of the recess, the spelter being caused to extend upwardly to the plane of the upper surface of the center plate and crossover, and being maintained in a single piece. After the spelter is poured and has solidified the center plate is fastened in place and in so far as this center plate is concerned, the crossover is in condition to be placed in service in a railway track.

its will be seen by reference to Fig. a, the keys 14: holding the center plate in position, and the keepers 15, are prevented from moving lengthwise by the spelter so that liability of the center plate becoming loose is avoided and overcome.

When it is desired to remove a center plate from the crossover, as sometimes becomes necessary after wear caused by extended use, or accident by which the center plate becomes cracked or broken, the spelter 21 which is exposed is first removed with 'a chisel or other implement so asto expose the keepers 15. \Vhen this is done the keepers are readily lifted vertically and removed, the tapering sides and ends of the keepers facilitating their removal. The removal of the keepers exposes the ends of the keys 14: and provides a space which permits the keys being backed out and removed so as to release or disengage the center plate. After the removal of the keepers 15 and the keys 14 the center plate 9 is readily taken from its position within the recess 5. The spelter in the bottom of the recess is then chipped out and removed after which a new center plate is positioned within the recess. The new center plate is then fastened in place in the manner which has been described and when this is done the cross over is again in condition for use.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. By means of my improved center plate and plate fastening means, the hard center plates are securely held in place and are readily removed when desired. The center plates can be removed and replaced while the crossover or frog remains in position in the track. The difficulties heretofore experienced in removing damaged or defective center-plates are avoided and overcome. The apparatus is simple, is easily made, and is readily kept in repair.

Modifications in'the construction and arrangement of the parts may be made Without departing from my invention as defined in the appended" claims. 7

1' claim 1. A railway track structure comprising a recessed body portion, a center plate positioned in said recess lugs on the ends of said center plate and the adjoining ends of'said recess, keys engaging said lugs for fastening the center plate in the recess, and a cast metal filler between the adjacent surfaces of the center plate and recess, said filler supporting the center plate in the recess and preventing movement of the center plate fastening keys.

2. A railway track structure comprising a recessed body portion, a center plate positioned in said recess, lugs on the ends of said center plate and the adjoining ends of said recess, keys engaging said lugs for fastening the center plate in the recess, removable keepers between the center plate and ends of said recess, and a cast metal filler between the adjacent faces of the center plate and recess, said filler supporting the center plate and recess, said filler supporting the center plate in the recess and preventing movement of the keys and keepers.

3. A railway track structure comprising a recessed body portion, a center plate positioned in said recess, lugs on the ends of said center plate and the adjoining ends of said recess, keys engaging said lugs for fastening the centerv plate in the recess, a removable keeper between the center plate and ends of said recess, and a metal filler cast in situ for supporting the center plate in said recess, said filler engaging with and preventing movement of the keys and keepers in said recess.

4. A railway track structure comprising a recessed body portion, a center plate positioned in said recess, lugs on the ends of said center plate and the adjoining ends of said recess, keys engaging said lugs for fastening the center plate in the recess, and an integral cast metal filler between the ad jacent surfaces of the center plate and recess, said filler supporting the center plate in'the recess and preventing movement of the cen: ter plate fastening keys.

5. A railway track structure comprising a recessed body portion,.a center plate posi- 15 tioned in said recess, a lug on the end of said center plate and the adjoinin end of said recess, a key engaging said ugs for fastening the center plate in the recess, and a cast metal filler between the adjacent surfaces of the center plate and recess, said filler supporting the center plate in the recess and preventing movement of the center plate fastening keys.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER CARL HUEBNER.

Witnesses H. W. SMITH, W. MILT. Brown.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

